Course Information

The brahmavihārās, or the four immeasurables, are the four boundless states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, and the meditation practices used to cultivate them.

The six meditation instructions and video talks comprise an in-depth study of brahmavihārā meditation and the gradual entry into emptiness (described in the Cūḷasuññata-sutta, MN 121), relating both of these modes of practice to progress to awakening. The emphasis throughout is on what is of practical relevance to actual meditation practice.

Each day, Bhikkhu Anālayo will meet online with the course participants for a live one-hour Q&A session. Everyone is expected to attend these meetings, which will be at:

11:00 am NZDT, 9:00 am AEDT, 7:00 am SGT, 4:00 pm US PST, 7:00 pm US EST, 12:00 midnight UK GMT

Please check other timezones here:

https://www.timeanddate.com/wo...

The programme includes self-scheduled practice periods in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Participants need to have enough previous retreat experience to be able to structure their own sitting and walking sessions during the course.

In addition, Jill Shepherd will offer small group practice meetings.

Pre-requisite:

Completion of at least three silent seven-night residential vipassana (Insight) meditation retreats.

Please list these in your retreat registration.

Pre-course Reading:

Participants need to be familiar with Bhikkhu Anālayo’s approach to Satipaṭṭhāna and Ānāpānasati practice, particularly understanding how to work with the hindrances and awakening factors.

If you haven't done so already, please read his books Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide and Mindfulness of Breathing: A Practice Guide and Translations

In preparation for this course, please read Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation

This book is also available as a free pdf here

Teacher:

Bhikkhu Anālayo is a German scholar-monk and the author of Satipatthaana: The Direct Path to Realization, Perspectives on Satipatthaana, and Excursions into the Thought-World of the Pali Discourses. He is a Core Faculty Member at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and a professor at the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg.

Assistant:
Jill Shepherd began practicing insight meditation in Thailand in 1999, and since that time has lived and worked at several meditation centres and monasteries in the US, Australia, England, and Thailand. She is a graduate of the IMS / Spirit Rock teacher training program in the US, under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and Gil Fronsdal.

Course fees:

The registration fee covers only a contribution towards course administration.

The teaching is freely offered, and there will be an opportunity to give dana* to the teachers at the end of the retreat.

Cancellation policy:

Please note: there has been a tendency with previous online courses for people to cancel at very short notice.

Doing this has a detrimental effect on the viability of running these events and also prevents others from attending the course. Previous courses have had very long waiting lists, therefore we request that when registering, you make a genuine commitment to participate fully in the retreat.

If you do need to cancel, the registration payment is refundable (minus booking fees) up to thirty days before the retreat begins ie 6 May 2021. If you cancel after this time, the retreat cost will be forfeited and used to help provide scholarship places.

Dana – generosity

*In keeping with Buddhist tradition, the teachings are offered on a dana basis which means the teachers are not paid to offer this retreat. There will be an opportunity at the end of the retreat to offer donations to support Bhikkhu Anālayo and Jill's ongoing teaching.